A very long time has handed, 16 years to be precise, since a Bruins ahead by the title of Marco Sturm tapped house Patrice Bergeron’s go into the again of the Philadelphia Flyers’ web to elevate the B’s to victory within the first Fenway Park Winter Basic.
As was typically the case when he scored a aim, a child-like pleasure opened up throughout Sturm’s beaming face.
Sturm is now the Bruins’ coach and, whereas he can nonetheless appreciates outside video games just like the one the B’s might be taking part in in at Raymond James Stadium in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, he seems on the upcoming occasion extra like a harried hockey guardian than a carefree peewee.
“It’s a difficult one as a result of there’s much more to it. There’s household coming, there’s this and that. There’s the tools, guys are going out with the brand new gloves. There’s a lot to it,” Sturm mentioned. “When there’s the puck drop, I feel that’s the place the enjoyment comes. Earlier than, it’s very hectic, it’s chaos, it’s loads of questions. So we attempt to reduce that. However as quickly as we’re there and we go on the ice, particularly for the sport and even the day earlier than for a skate, I feel that’s when it actually kicks in. Proper now, it’s extra for me and my employees to prepare issues, not for gamers. Nevertheless it’s a superb occasion and the blokes ought to take pleasure in it when it’s time.”
Logistics are removed from the one problem. Sturm mentioned Friday that neither Elias Lindholm nor Pavel Zacha will make the journey as a result of higher physique accidents they suffered on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. That presents the largest damage problem the staff has confronted since each Charlie McAvoy and David Pastrnak have been out of the lineup collectively earlier within the season. That’s the staff’s No. 1 and No. 2 facilities, each all-situation gamers and faceoff males.
The penciled-in plan is for Marat Khusnutdinov to maneuver into the center, becoming a member of Fraser Minten, Matt Poitras and Sean Kuraly because the remaining pivots. Sturm didn’t consider there have been going to be any call-ups.
“That’s one thing we’ve to beat. We’ve got no different selection,” Sturm mentioned. “However on the opposite facet, I do be ok with it due to the way in which we’re taking part in proper now and the construction we’ve put in place.”
As of now, Sturm didn’t assume the accidents would have an effect on the Olympic standing of Lindholm (Sweden) and Zacha (Czechia), however it will likely be as much as their particular person federations.
Past the pomp of the occasion and the regarding accidents, there’s a moderately vital hockey recreation to be performed. The Bolts lead the Atlantic Division and the Jap Convention with 72 factors, 5 forward of the B’s, who regardless of a 11-2-1 January haven’t been capable of higher their playoff place from the second wild-card spot.
The groups have performed as soon as this season, a 4-3 Tampa win at TD Backyard through which the Lightning barely held off a livid Bruins rally in the long run.
That is one other measuring-stick recreation for the B’s, who’ve been barely common away from the Backyard (11-12-2). Would Sturm favor to play this one in an everyday hockey enviornment with fewer variables?
“Are you able to ask me after the sport?” requested Sturm with fun.
“There’s a high quality line the place we’re at proper now as a staff taking part in in opposition to the perfect staff undoubtedly within the East, in opposition to Tampa, and probably the greatest groups within the league proper now. It’s going to be a superb measurement. Hopefully it should assist us being open air. However we’ve simply acquired to be prepared for a very popular staff.”
Because the outside video games have proliferated, the punch they’ve supplied for a nationwide viewers has waned. However they nonetheless present a lift to the host metropolis regionally. They usually nonetheless imply one thing to the gamers.
“It’s the entire spectacle,” Kuraly mentioned. “As you become older in your profession, they’re virtually little spots on the timeline that you simply keep in mind greater than others simply due to the spectacle that it’s. Often households are there, buddies, it’s often on TV, one thing just a little bit greater. It’s form of like a mid-year celebration generally. Clearly, it’s a enterprise journey, two factors, and that’s of significance. However everybody needs to take a second, go searching and actually take pleasure in it.”
Kuraly has a particular reminiscence in an out of doors recreation in 2019 at Notre Dame Stadium. His third-period backhander turned out to be the game-winner for the B’s over the Chicago Blackhawks, igniting his patented Kura-leap celebration into glass below the blue-gray skies of South Bend.
The place does that aim rank for him?
“So much greater than what I’d have thought on the time, to be trustworthy,” Kuraly mentioned. “I knew how I felt as a youthful participant within the league on the time, as you could possibly inform by my celebration. However as I look again and as I speak to individuals over time, I get so many feedback about individuals remembering that aim particularly. So I feel you begin to notice that these greater moments carry just a little extra weight and gravity in individuals’s minds and folks get emotionally invested on this large video games. And we do, too.”
